Urge your representative to support H Res 278. It is especially important to contact members serving on the
Foreign Affairs, Rules, and Armed Services Committees.
H. Res. 278, the "Global Security Priorities" Resolution, was introduced by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA).
H. Res. 278 does two things related to nuclear weapons, hunger, and poverty:
- Addresses the threat of international terrorism and protects the security of the United States by reducing the number of and access to nuclear weapons and preventing their proliferation. H. Res. 278 urges the President to continue negotiations to further reduce nuclear arms to minimal levels, to have the U.S. and Russia agree to cut the number of deployed nuclear weapons, to assist other countries in reducing and eliminating nuclear weapons throughout the world, and to expand efforts to prevent terrorists from gaining access to nuclear materials.
- Directs a portion of the resulting $13 billion saved annually towards child survival, food security, and universal education. H. Res. 278 requests $5 billion over five years to enhance global child survival through new high-impact and low-cost health and nutrition interventions at the community level, and an additional $1.5 billion annually over five years for existing programs that reduce child hunger and increase child nutrition and educational opportunities. These added resources would enable aid and development organizations to strengthen food security programs with local partners in poor countries by boosting long-term food security and life-saving emergency aid.
Support for H. Res. 278 is timely in light of statements by President Obama who has called for substantial verifiable reductions in the U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, and has committed the U.S. to new leadership to reduce global poverty by doubling international assistance. At the same time, Iranian and North Korean nuclear ambitions and growing poverty and hunger due to the economic crisis call for immediate action.
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) has long supported the dismantling of nuclear weapons systems, the effective securing of nuclear materials from terrorists, and a reduction in the overall number of nuclear armaments. General Assembly policy supports preventing proliferation of these weapons and ultimately eliminating them. The "Global Security Priorities" Resolution, H. Res. 278, embraces these goals and takes important steps in this direction.
Act now! Urge your member of Congress to co-sponsor H. Res. 278.
This post is based on information from our colleagues in the Presbyterian Washington Office.